The invention provides a series of technical, practical, functional and economic advantages, and fulfills its functions in an efficient and satisfactory way. The invention also offers the possibility of an economic industrialization with significant reduction of costs, labor and material, as well as increasing the accuracy of assembly, providing optimum results with good reliability.
A thermostat is a component that is located between an engine and a cooling system normally including a radiator. The function of a thermostat is to control the passage of the cooling liquid to the radiator and to the engine, keeping the engine working temperature within the ideal limits, preventing the engine from working too hot or too cold, in order not to suffer more wear. Thermostat functioning consists in heating an element constituted of an expander mass, which provides the opening of the thermostatic element after the absorption of definitive amount of heat and through thermal expansion, regulating the valve opening and therefore the flow of coolant through automotive engines.
The integrated thermostat is constituted of a joint element with an arch and a spring, assembled on a cover or on a housing that can be made of polymeric, metallic or nonmetallic material, which can be obtained by molding, injection or machining processes. The thermostat can also provide more functions to the system in accordance with the configurations, by using:    a double valve containing two thermostat elements, which can be calibrated with the same or with different initial opening settings, allowing a greater and more controlled flow rate of cooling liquid from/to the radiator.    a cover made of aluminum or plastic, obtained by a machining or casting process, and especially in this case, by a process of casting under pressure, which provides a part with less material (less weight) and requiring less time for machining.
If necessary to the particular cooling system, the valve can comprise the following as well:    components, such as nipples, tubes, temperature sensor, hoses (heating system and radiator compartments), sealing and attaching rings/joints for attaching the thermostat set to the engine block;    Tube to connect to the heating system (passenger compartment);    Tube to fix to the radiator hose;    De-airing system;    Sealing system, and;    Temperature sensor.Configurations:
The thermostat has an outlet configuration. In this case, the thermostat receives liquid from the engine and, through the working element, regulates the amount of flow that will be directed to the radiator for cooling, as well as the amount of fluid that will continue circulating internally of the engine, without cooling.
For this thermostat, it is possible to have an inlet configuration. In this case, the thermostat receives liquid from the engine and from the radiator, consequently, through the working element, the amount of cooled flow that will be directed from the radiator to the engine (mixture of hot and cold liquid) is regulated, as well as the amount of fluid that will continue circulating internally of the engine, without cooling.
Functional Characteristics:
Initial Opening: The initial opening setting is a characteristic that, at the initial temperature, the thermostatic valve allows the beginning of the passage of the cooling liquid from/to the radiator. In this invention, the initial opening can be varied for several different engine applications. The initial opening can be calibrated with the same or with a different initial opening settings, since two working elements are present.
Course: The course or degree of opening is a characteristic that provides an opening amount relative to an increment in temperature, wherein the flow rate range from the thermostatic valve will vary for the passage of the cooling liquid to the radiator. In this invention, the course can be varied for some applications, and can be calibrated with the same or with a different course, since two working elements are present.
Leakage: leakage is a characteristic that provides the maximum amount of bypass flow of cooling liquid allowed to the radiator when the system is pressurized and the thermostatic valve is closed. In this invention, the leakage can be varied for some applications, and can be calibrated with the same or with a different bypass amounts, since two working elements are present.
Functions that are or can be Aggregated:
In accordance with the present invention, the integrated thermostat has its constructive arrangement of the cover or housing modified in order to provide other functions, by incorporating other components, such as:    a tube for heating system;    a tube to fix the radiator hose;    a temperature sensor;    a de-airing system;    a nipple, and;    a sealing system.
Configurations:
The tube for heating system allows the passage of the heated cooling liquid to the heating system in the interior of the vehicle. The following versions can be obtained:    Tube injected together with the cover: this tube can be obtained with or without a complementary machining process, and can be differently configured with different fixation angles, internal/external diameter and lengths.    Tube manufactured separately, made of plastic, metallic or non-metallic material, and assembled on the cover by threading or assembled by interference or clearance, using glues as the fixation and sealing element.
The tube to attach the radiator hose allows the passage of the cooling liquid to the radiator. This tube, as well as the tube for the heating system, can be made of aluminum, plastic, metallic or non-metallic material, and it can be obtained by special and/or conventional manufacture processes, and can be differently configured with different fixation angles, internal/external diameter and lengths.
The temperature sensor is a component that indicates the temperature variation in the valve region. This temperature sensor has the function of sending a data signal to the electric injection central processing and management unit of the engine, in accordance with the temperature of the cooling liquid, and/or the sensor indicates the temperature of the coolant on the vehicle instrument panel.
The temperature sensor can be differently configured with different fixation angles, and lengths. It can be assembled by threading, stapling or by interference on the cover. Its assembly can be sealed by back edge or by ring sealing systems.
The de-airing system or air bleed devices (air bleeder) can be configured through ball systems, or a jingle pin or notches located on the cover of the working element or even on the thermostat housing, functioning as a valve which allows air to escape from the region of the thermostat element that is at the highest point of the engine (generally, the expansion reservoir) during the filling with cooling liquid. A system without a de-airing valve or jingle pin can also be de-aired. In this case, the air is eliminated from the element region by means of nipples and hoses located strategically on the thermostat.
The nipple also has the function of de-airing the cooling system, and it can be made of plastic, brass, metal and non-metal material, as well as it can be differently configured with different fixation angles, internal/external diameter and lengths. The nipple can be assembled on the housing by threading, interference fit or with a clearance, using glues as the attachment and sealing element.
The interface of this nipple with the hose of the cooling liquid reservoir can be made by quick coupling or straight profiles and/or by interference with neck/hose, which guarantees the fixation of conduction hoses by means of tighteners and/or clamps.
The sealing system is responsible for guaranteeing that the cooling liquid will not leak out of the thermostat, mainly in the assembly region between the valve flange and the head and/or engine. This system can be constituted by a joint made of metal or paper, as well as it can comprise a sealing ring that can allow several configurations of profiles (square, rectangular, circular or special profiles). The sealing ring can be confined within a lodging generally situated in the housing, the sealing ring forced to mold into and fill the irregularities of the parts surfaces, as well as any existing clearance, providing the effect of blocking fluid flow. In some areas around the perimeter of the sealing ring, locks having several formats can be added. Such locks have the function of fixing the sealing ring to the internal confinement channel and defining the assembly indicator.
The integration of two thermostats is possible to a cover or a single housing, substantially differentiated from the conventional and known covers available in the market, which consists in a part with more appropriate robustness and consequent reduction in material, wherein the integration of two thermostats is made by means of two pairs of legs, which are projected in the lower section of the part.
In conventional systems, thermostat valves constitute an independent set that is assembled directly on the engine housing and, after that, it receives the attachment of the respective cover, which is provided with two lodgings, wherein one of them is for each valve thermostat, and with an independent exit for each one of them. The set requires more complex assembly operations, taking not only more time and labor, but also a cost increase, besides requiring special attention to obtain the necessary precision referring to the assembly.
One of the advantages of the integration of double thermostat disclosed in the present invention is that its assembly is much quicker and easier to perform, since it uses a single part (cover or housing) incorporating two thermostat valves.
Another advantage is the ability to, when necessary, substitute one or even the two thermostat valves. Due to the simplicity of removal and replacement, such substitution is made without needing to disassemble the entire set.
In accordance with the present invention, the single housing in which the two thermostats are integrated is provided with two adjacent galleries, having openings that are independent of each other and a single central exit. The constructive arrangement of the present invention utilizes an aluminum injection process or a polymer injection process, which will solve the problem of obtaining those two adjacent galleries with a single and reciprocal central exit and independent openings (mouthpieces), which is impossible to be carried out by using the current methods.
In the injection process, this solution consists in promoting the entrance of a male core by the lower section for conforming the two galleries with independent openings, as well as the entrance of a male core by the upper section for defining the single central exit that is in intercommunication with the two galleries, which results in two galleries with independent entrances and one exit for the cooling liquid to the radiator and to the engine.
The technique determined by the presence of two thermostats in a single part with two chambers and a single central exit allows the accomplishment of two main functions:    Obtaining a minimal passage area to the cooling fluid (minimum passage) in order not to have differentiation of pressure and consequent loss of load in the hydraulic circuit of cooling, and;    Controlling the engine temperature.
The invention does not have restrictions to control the engine temperature due to the fluid exit gallery of the cooling system.
The invention still allows placing two working elements (thermostats) with the same opening calibration temperature and/or different temperature calibrations, wherein the calibration of the working elements with different temperatures is related to the capacity of the springs that can speed or advance the system.
The invention presents versatility as a result of the calibration of the thermostatic valve. An aeration system can also be present in the housing or in the cover. The invention provides a flexible passage, since it has two galleries with a single exit. It can have none, single or double by pass, which provides flexibility and diversity of engine applications. It can have re-circulation by one, two or none.
The two working elements can work with the same opening calibration temperature and/or different temperature calibrations. The calibration of the work elements is related to the spring capacity that can speed or advance the system. It can have different types of flanges and nipples.
Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention will become clear from the following detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying illustrative drawings, which are referred to better elucidate the description.